Dry-pipe sprinkler system



I v 1,644 534 O 7' A. J. LOEPSINGER 4 DRY PIPE SPRINKLER SYSTEM Filed June 22. 1923 WL WM ATTORNEYS PatentedQctt 4, 1927.

AL'B'ERTJ, LoEPsINosR; 'oz snowns'ncn enemarsnmtn wsssisixron- T o eEnERnL FIRE EXTINGUISHEE GGIiiiZAU Y, OFJPRGVIDENOE; RHODE ISLAND, 'A'GORPQRATION NEVT YORK.

kn'syn-memmmse sYsqiE-r/L 1 ;A plicationlfiiedc Jiiiieeag1922. enquire-seizure i This invention relates to dry pipe systems I for plural liquids such as maybe usefcl in automatic sprinkler iire extinguishing aption of fair pressure; automatically, trips a valye'ior each liquid,toadinit itto itssysteineof piping leading to the sprinklers, In

such cases it highly desirable that both liquid-s, travellingthrough their respective systems, should; arrivejat the open head at the same instant, as the-required effect is ,produced only by. mixing, and-[as either valone may be seriously damaging to groods on which itInayfa-ll. It has, hoWeVer-,.liere'-- 1 tofore been-found practically impossible. to build two systenis'thus parallel so that the, valves will operate The present invention has forits object to provide THIGELHSV for the simultaneous operation-of ,the separate alves ,controling: the

liquids of such systems. I V v This object is accornplished by .prouiding liaison means'which may take'gthe forinlof an operative connection between; the tWO valves such that either may trip the other or more, strictly,.such that the nipping or either occasions the simultaneous tr pping ol' the other. This is attained: byQproViding a physical connection; Whichnray 'lJG' either -Inechanical or; fluid in :its nature.

The particular stylechosen for illustration is a fluid connection; applied to a Well known type of d-ifierential valve comprising 7 I a;sijngle doubleiaceduvalveyin whichgthe 1 'a'ir' i'ace is vlarger than the ,waterlface s0- tha-t the whole is maintained closed against the hydrostatic pressure ofliquidhy air at a lower pressure in the -distribution pi-ping system. Nor nagllywa fa-ll in vthe-latter, con- :s'equent upon; the opening of a sprinkler #113341 results,- in the v hydrostatic pressure driving' -the valves open; when the :air .pressure gets down to"helow ione sixth of the liquidpressure.

I imulta neously. l

"Inthe specif c type 'of iniientionhreinsetf forth, the said conne'ctioni'is af passage proniediat'e chambers of the twofautoniatic' dry ipe, Valves. Preferably this passageisfin part-identical with the passageivhicln is one tomarily provided" from theflowest point of eachcha-niher toa drip valve Whichisjnor- ,c inal ly open" to atmosphere, 'and'whichpeon tai'nsha' ball Value; that 1' permits slow. QSG LPe of either air or liqu'idgjfbutwjh'ich is rushed tolts seat'by any considerable flow that behall valgve s rv r-or: both intermediate charm hers; and the t wo'passagesfto the singled'rip valve together make] a passage from either chamber-ltd the other. i' l Vlieiithe air pres- 7 sure in 81th er, {distribution 2 system falls l-l'ow 5 enough ito cause the beginni g of a] valve- 1 iI1s.;,,jlhus, a single dri and im automatic,

first ields slightly 1 Without" ally open ing. s Butsuch slightyieldinglactually opens theliquid Vale tolfacorresponding degree,

it having t' ll ic ffa' e'lanjdjseatfandi'iwl equ tlyasmillffiow of liquidlbegins; into its intermediate chamber and thence out l i d ipfpipa 11 35 1ig l rip v valve and cutting' off the *connection' toat'mosphere; flfhrough the inter-chamber connect onprovided by thejpresent invenqt' onj, th s ll quid also flows into; the intermediate chamber of the other valve, Thus the. airlpressure, botli' in the lirs tisysteni Where the air 1 pressure -had "fallen to Lille necessa iy ainounteand in the secontlsystem Where the an; pressuie may ;,befassu1ned not yet to; have fallen to the necessary mount, thinning both yfalves openpraotic'ally siinul taneously.'

The opening either Value afs g; e v e I -& pendediuplu'g in the intermediate ichamherfof that ,v-alve, Which; in jfalling c'loseslthe p as'- 'f sage'to the other jfalize chamber, preventingfurther transfer' of fluid between the two systems; Although here illustrated only, as

'it' may be applied to differential val vies, "the invention is generic in characterland ginaj apply 1 also to inechanical val-Ves f Whose 7 ac tion depends on dilierence ofgleverage; in which case 'th'ere may be, in one lforin, a

botli intei'rnediate chambers a pres'suireis quickly built up; This? quickly overpoiij ls Or, in the use bfsu'ch valvesasj operate by, the-falling- }i -Weight, a; 'single weight vmay be made tetriplboth'gvalves. 01, in cases where each valueflhas {its own Weight, and has completeindependent action, the :weight in each y case a 'res sure; 0111a,

iid lifeol mection "acci'nnplished by ual fall, mu

may connected. wit "it er,

are p e pi i d i ma y It is 5 intended time in the l 'gp DdBd' claims flyvhatever f patent'a 1e noyel'ty :existin the t n and ii -the specific applica- & $7, 75;F fihad; w siltl h e e lnithq a ti mpenyi r ing'ea V.

T m gl rj figul I i nPj tf test in eleyatien etiongjofthe' inj'rentiqnjte pipes of a rfu mg, :tOIna'tic s'piinkler j 'f ot art s 2 1 1" and f21'j connected Yresjpectively comprising? laterals 12 22 leading 1Om 'ri'sers'il3fand 23% which the .5 25

' he -J qdistxjihiitim1; systems;

of'theinuentionjgtd provide, so that n of lthese' liquidsffrom the Valves 11? met 1 neyerthelessihas beenfiound hutfdi l rencesfof internaly lu ne, "of angle, at nausea; or

60 jlinqfinproduce difiererices the times j ate of the shall actisiinultaneousily To th s n i ripp d ys n e p ai y t m die hragmg'f'tliere may beT'a etween the j dia'phragr'n, 3 hmhersi sbfthatf[the fal1i1'ig hf pressurein be a sflnjgle diaphragm f y c 'rg, htithsys'temsibff ipesflb' lhnsedjmjcemmei bytl'ie eights ce'sfby which the valves inf the l tlj' is thus seen i.

the patent sheuifeov 'I-tb y suitable when a rush Of fluid seekses capeh narily it;has beenicustoniaryeto provide one,"

Isuch drip 31 with automatic valvexwiththe intermediate chamber 24c-"'0f each-dry pipe yalve of iyhich-those here=referred t0 V v yyholei hyvthe numerals 24 mile are eX- mples; *In the present case; this drip is con- 9" iictedi by {the pipes 3O to the intermediate" J phambers ofbdth Valves, so that liquid flows ,1} *mgrreuyintopm, aslfrom the "Valve 2i 9 in its incipient staged opening, afterginc-i y sui able type; havi g e fi led with. air "under pressure v Values 243and 14 so thatpresentl-yandsin uh "taneously bothair clappers are driven bpen,

, y H p fair issiiisifrom the 1'5 red lilihg the pressurein both; y of piping until the? drypipel valyes pective -liquidsffrb n the risers 15" and It is" the shall begin .as' early simultaneously -'I ;he piping being designedalike I y "j' ,l 'asfhas rhe ew d ie z a r. jfwhich -fallsli henthe-valve --swings' away" 7 I froiii its'seat and ferc es'a plug intqthe "en-5" f bftheri'cauises',' ndt iwhollyi; V

'I[Itis"desirablegiorjthe perfect simultan'e pipeyalvesfautginatically are provide means-by "vvhicih the dry pipe the 'emhpdi nienti here specifically that which "was ready firSt ithOut the normally ensues' durin'g a period-0f balance after-a valveis ready to betrippe'd "In the .7 r

nernnalactuat-ion of a Valve ofthe type described, a reduction ofain pressure in the illustrated, the acting'ef one is retardml slightly,, although perhaps imperceptibly; I V While-the fluid materialwhieh might go'te operate it ,is being" shifted ,into the other I "valve-,l thereby' supplying actuating fluid in advance ot that which normally would origip, l, "-nate in that'yalve; andthe tw0,*thus pge' pared simultaneously, are actuated Slllllll T taneously b y the overpowering pre ss'ur'e from? riserc23and on'ai'rvalve 2%1 permits liquid 7,

pressur "on tjlievalve 24" to raise that "valve 93 little" due to" fieXure of'the rubber edge 7 slow escape of "air, or liquid but which closes portio'nQLjoffthe yalve 24 before actually "separating fi' mfits seat; "The slight result; ing escape of liquid flows into the intermediate chamber; 24' which ordinarily is open toatmospherethrcugh "the" pipe '30'anddrip '31'c0nta1ning a ball Valve iwhiehperinits dentally 'clesi'n'g the drip valve 3l flows uni into" the "intermediate c'harnber of theiother i'es'cape'qf liquid past thevalwi'e 24"- piles' up wi pressure in the intermediatelehamber of both Overfronfi'qne"chamber t0 the other and vthe resultingiieani gas{formation-isnegligible. Vi

Furthen flow'bf liquid from one chamber i t'o "the ether through -pa'ssage 30 is preventedby H theclosing of hoth ends ofthe passage upon the opening bf the dry pipe valyes',';there being a ilatch' weight 38in eachcasmg; nor-(Q "'mally held 'up' 'hy the val've-Twhen closed,

trance offtheiipassage'fiO. q

Oneness 'O'f action thatlthere be'a communicatllu " The quantity 0% liquid which thus'passes rin'g' passage as indicated at 32, between the "risers 23 and'18, dr-elsewherei between the? V airportion ofthe twd systems v so asto'pro- T; vide equality. of'aif pressure Jon the two dry pipe yalves. The drawing-illustrates this by show ng com 13 and 23, 'a' small "quantity of the bottom, at trapped. Y

"gar-e554 pressed *a'ir slippone of the pipes,- thro'u'g'h vaie 5M thence into the other through passageBQ {but it is obvious that might be otherwise arranged, as by pumping from a ommo'n source lnto b'oth.

Upon the opening'of thevalves 14am and the rush ofliquids through the risers K (v liquid from each flows into the connection 32.

t a h ma et-sl e a rator may be aidedb'y providing the medial chamber 32 with partition tui'n'ingup from whose top the gas tends to be The drawing also illustrates "how the inpipe 36 leading to the inter cliamberpipe V 30 and drain 31. Air" pressureof thesystem' enters the accelerator freely through the" valve 34; and conditions remain unchanged per and causes the hydrostatic heads to oper- 7 ate both dry pipe valves 24, '14, simultanej the conditions of pressure in the intermediate aecelmtor. "Such apparatu'sjof a known while air is being pumped into the system or during any relatively slow decrease of system pressure as by -slight leakage but when a sprinkler head opens, as at 11, with rapid decreasing of air pressurein the system the accelerator 84 performs its function the opening of a valve within it which allows the air of the system to fiow directly from 13 through 35 and 36 to pipe 30 whence it rushes into the intermediate chambers, builds up the pressure in both simultaneously so that air pressure is balanced on each air clap- 'ously.- As the valve 37 indicates, the. system may be used either with or without the accelerator 34, by opening or closingthis valve. a I

The application of the invention'equ'alizes for flow of di'flerent'fluids which in combination make a fire extinguishing product; said systems having each a. dry pipe "valve and primary means for initiating the opening of that valve; combined with liaison means applied to the several dry'pipe valves and causing them to coact in opening. 2. A fire extinguishing apparatus comprising a plurallt-y of systems, provldmg for newer-amide fliiids'vvlii'ch said valves.

Iiiake a fireeirti'iiguishing pfod 't "sal stems having each'adry pipe valve and'prie e-"a f r, initiating the o ening 0f that ;va1ve;- coi'iibined' with unitary means applied to thefseveral aryy'pipe valvesfor 3. Ina a'ry pipe s st'e'arrbrpre er liquids "the combination with a drypip e valve-jar tive connection between each liquid, of opera 'andat the-said valvesli s 4. In dry pipe syst'em for plural'liquitls the combination, with a "dilierenti al dry pipe valve for Teafchfliquid," of means for fiiiid connefction'ibet'w'een the intermediate Chant, hers of the saidyalves. 1 I nine drypipesystein xfor plural liquids drypipe 'va'lve. for

the combination witha" each liquid,- ofineans fluid connectifen between theiair 'ri'ser's thereof ease to the 6. In a dry the combination, with i a diff trolling" device for the intermediate 'cha-iiiber of each val'v'ean d ine'a'ns where'by the'fiiiid pressure thereby controlled is thesame for said valves.

- 7 In a dry pipe system for pluralliquids 5 with a dry pipe valve for a' device controlling" and the combination, each liquid, of

equalizingthe' operating influences on the saidva'lves.

equalizing the tripping ofsaid valves, and

actuated 'by' drop of fluidpressure in either system. '8. In a dry pipe system for plural liquids,

-,the' combination of a drypipe valve forea-ch liquid, having as an operating part a chamber wherein a pressure change may trip the valve, and means affording fluid communication and equalization of pressurebetween the saidchambers of the several valves.'

'9. In a dry pipesystem for plural liquids 1 the combination, with a dry pipe valve for each liquid, of an accelerator connected to one of the distributing'systems for itsown actuation and connected opera'tively 'to both of the valves. i i 10; In a dry pipe system for liquidsthe combination, wit-h adry pipe valve for each liquid having diflerential areas exposed to air and liquid, and having an intermediate chamber between said exposed areas'with an openingto at-mosphereinsufiicient to pass more than a minor flow f liquid; ofiani accelerator connected to. one of the distribut ing systems for'its ownactuation, and coiiQ nected' to saidintermediate chambers to I actuate their respective valves.

.11. In a dry pipe automatic sprinkler system for plural liquids, the combination, with a dry pipe valve and distribution system for ,each liquid, and c'oacting discharge valves at each sprinkler, offmeans additional to the co-acting sprinkler valves for equalizing the 

